Friday, June 28, 2013

Be Careful Of Sound-Alike NamesUninformed donors are easily confused by charities that have strikingly similar names to others. How many of us could tell the difference between an appeal from the Children's Charity Fund and theChildren's Defense Fund? Their names sound the same, but their performances are vastly different. Would you be surprised to learn that the Children's Charity Fund is a 0-star charity while the Children's Defense Fund is a 3-star charity? Informed donors take the time to uncover the difference.Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Want a medicine-free alternative to help prevent high blood pressure? Add volunteering to your routine!

Researchers have found that volunteering can help reduce older adults' risk of high blood pressure. Why? It is a positive lifestyle factor that also increases social interaction which has been proven to promote healthy aging.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Informed donors recognize that for-profit fundraisers, those often used in charitable telemarketing campaigns, keep a large portion (in some cases all) of each dollar they collect (read our report about telemarketing for more specifics on the costs affiliated with this form of fundraising). Wise donors never give out their personal information – like credit card accounts, social security numbers – over the phone. If they like what they hear in the pitch, they'll hang up, investigate the charity on-line and send their contribution directly to the charity, thereby cutting out the middleman and ensuring 100% of their donation reaches the charity. Taking it a step further, donors may want to reconsider supporting a charity that uses an inefficient telemarketing approach and instead identify a charity that does not use telemarketing to raise funds. A recent study, "The 50 worst Charities In America," conducted by the Tampa Bay Times and the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR), confirms this tip.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

There may be a fraudulent fundraising letter circulating, according to Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura. The organization listed on the letter is the United States Deputy Sheriff's Association. This organization receives a 0-star rating which is our very worst rating.The association alleges to be dedicated to officer survival training and seeks donations to underwrite its programs. But Sherif Fontoura said "this organization is not connected with any legitimate police, sheriff’s or public safety department as far as we can tell.”
This is just another reminder to give intelligently, do your due diligence and beware. Please check out our Top 10 Best Practices for Savvy Donors for more tips on how to be an informed giver.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Be Proactive In Your Giving Smart givers generally don't give reactively in a knee-jerk fashion. They don't respond to the first organization that appeals for help. They take the time to identify which causes are most important to their families and they are specific about the change they want to affect. For example, they don't just support generic cancer charities, but instead have targeted goals for their giving, such as providing mammograms to at-risk women in their community.

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On this blog, professionals from Charity Navigator, the nation's largest independent charity evaluator and leading donor advocate, share their thoughts on emerging issues relating to the nonprofit sector and offer tips to help you make the most of your charitable endeavors.